Knitting machine



Feb. 9, 1937.- V M D, 2,070,170

KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 26, 1935 INVENTOR, W Lombardi,

Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

2,070,170 KNITTING MACHINE Vincent Lombardi, Garden City, N. Y., assignor to Lombardi Knitting Machine Co. Inc., New

York, 'N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application February 26, 1935, Serial No.

8,256. Divided and this application September 27, 1935, Serial No. 42,368

11 Claims. (01. 66- 36) was filed February 26, 1935, as a continuation in part of my co-pending application, Serial No.

720,921, filed April 17, 1934.

Among the objects of the invention are the provision of a knitting machine of an improved character embodying a unitary member which comprises both a knitting element portion and a selective element portion.

Another object is the provision in a knitting machine of means which will maintain such a unitary element or a similar element in a set position at certain times but which will permit free movement thereof at other times.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention'accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination -of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fullerunderstanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken.

in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of a knitting machine embodying the invention and showing a knitting element in the form of a needle;'

Fig. 2 is a similar View illustrating a' modifica- Fig. 9 is a view of a modified form of needle;

and

Fig. 10 shows another modified form of needle.

While a considerable number of means for producing complicated patterns by efiectuating' movements of knitting ,elements'between a multiplicity of positions have been devised in the past, these usually involve mechanisms which are extremely complicated and/or involve the use of arrangements wherein, fragile elements are so placed that they are extremely likely to be broken in operation. In spite of the fact that the pattern machines in commonest use have for many years utilized pattern wheels or other rotating pattern elements to separate knitting ele- 5 ments and other elements into two positions for subsequent operations, the use of such rotating elements for multiple positioning, so far as is known, has not occurred to the art even though there has been very considerable activity over 10 a number of years in the development of mechanisms for the production of complicated fabrics.

In my co-pending application Serial No. 720,- 921 above referred to, there are disclosed knitting machines embodying selective elements individ- 15 ual to each of a series of knitting elements mounted for-sliding movement on a bed and arranged to be selectively set in a multiplicity oi difierent positions and to be selectively actuated in accordance with the settings thereof. The present invention is primarily directed to constructions wherein the knitting element and the selective element are part of .a unitary knitting member, and are not independent elements either attached or unattached. However, in certain of its aspects it is adapted to be embodied in other constructions, including attached but independent, knitting and selective elements wherein similar problems are present. The knitting-element portion may be a latch 30 needle portion, a beard needle portion. or a yarn manipulating element of other desired type; the

' various members utilized may be of any of the types illustrated in my said co-pending application, Serial No. 720,921, or of other suitable type as will be apparent to those skilled in the art; theknitting bed may be stationary or movable, and may be of any desired Iorm'or shape; and .other modifications of a wide variety of types may be made. 40 In Fig. 1 there is shown a needle bed l5, which. may be of the cylindrical type, and which is formed with slots IGabout its periphery; In these slots is a series of-needles I! which in the present instance are of the latch type and which are held in the slots by an annular spring II. The lower portions IQ of the needles are arranged for swinging on an axis adjacent to the spring I8 to permit the same to'be set in a multiplicity of positions lateral of the slots. Each needle is Iormed with transverse bends 20 and 2| whereby the selective portions I! will be frictionally retained in the positions in which they are set. There is'provided also actuator mechanism which revolves about the cylinder when the same is stationary, or which 5 mechanism includes an aligning cam 22, a pattern wheel 23, and an advancing cam, 24, which in the present instance act in sequence. Each needle is formed with a plurality of shoulders, as indicated at 25 and 26, which are designed to engage the cam 24 when the portion I9 is in an outward or an intermediate position respectively, but not i when it is in an inward position, As will be noted, these shoulders slope outwardly, and the upper surface of the cam 24 slopes in a similar direction,

so as toprevent inward movement of the portion is when the shoulders -are engaged by the cam.

' The pattern wheel is formed to provide a multiplicity of setting configurations, which in the present instance comprise slots 21, certain of which are empty, certain of which contain short actuators 28, andothers of which contain long actuators 29, in the manner illustrated more in detail in Fig. 8. The pattern wheel is formed witha gear 30 meshing with teeth 3| on the bed pattern wheel; advances to the middle line at the top of the figure those needles which were operated by the short actuators so that the same will be in a position for tucking, interlocking or the like design operations; and passes those needles which were operated upon by the long actuators so that these needles will not receive yarn from a yarn carrier forming a partof the actuator mechanism. a

In many knitting operations it is highly desirable that no strain be put onthe yarn, and to this end it is often important that the needles move easily so that they will yield to such a pull as the fabric exerts; With the foregoing and. other considerations in View the invention contemplates the provision of means which will hold the selective portion of a unitary. needle or other knitting element in an outwardly set position, but which will not resist longitudinal movement of the needle. One form of construction embodying such means is shown inFigs. 2-4. In these figures the parts are generally similar to the partsshown in Fig. 1 and are designated by similar reference numerals with the addition of the subscript a. The slots Ilia are narrowed at their outer portion as indicated at 33 just above the plane of action of cam 22a so as to bear frictionally against a part 34 of the sleeve-portion I9a of the needle when the latter is in an outward or an intermediate position, but not when it is in an inward position. Accordingly, the portion I9a. will be frictionally retained in an outward position until the cam 24a has engaged either the shoulder 25a or 26a, but will not be frictionally retarded in its movement after it has been restored or has restored itself to its normal inward position. In the present instance, thesextension32 is omitted and the cam 22a acts directly on the thin lower end 35 of the needle Ila; an outwardly extending slot portion 36 being provided.

A similar arrangement is shown in Figs. and 6 wherein there are shown similar parts designated by similar reference numerals, except that they are followed by the subscript b. In this '2,o7o,170 'may be stationary if the cylinder rotates. This arrangement there are provided springs 31 which extend inwardly from a member 31' toward the portions 34b on the needles so that when these portions are moved outwardly the springs will bear against them to frictionally retain them in position to be engaged by the cam.

As will be apparent, constructions such as illus trated in Figs. 2-4 and 5-6 may be employed to hold in an outward position a selective element which is independent of but attached to a knitting element in instances where frictional attaching means suchas disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 680,168 are not utilized, and may be employedin instances where the selective element is movable only to one position besides its normal one.

In instances such as those wherein the use of a cam 22 is undesirable, wherein the use of frictional retaining means of any sort is not desired,

or wherein a normally outward needle is to be used, there may be utilized an arrangement such as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 wherein the needles are at all times held in an outwardly swung position except when they are being acted upon by the pattern wheel or when they are engaged by or inside of the cam. The cam, in this instance, is disposed beneath the pattern wheel so that it will engage the needles while the pattern wheel is acting thereon. In these figures the general construction is similar to that of Figs. 1 and 2, the parts being indicated by similar reference numerals with the'subscript 0. Each needle He is held in an outward position'at all times by a spring 38 except when an actuator on the pattern wheel 230 is in' engagement therewith. The cam 240 is directly below the pattern wheel so that it will engage the shoulder 260 when the pattern wheel has no actuator in its slot. When the pattern wheel has a short shoulder 280 in a slot the needle will be pushed part way in and the shoulder 25c engaged by the cam. When the pattern wheel has a long actuator 29c in its slot the needle will be pressed all the way in so that both shoulders will ride to the rear of the cam. After the cam has once engaged a particular shoulder it will the needle is completed. It will thus be seen that no setting cam is required nor is any frictional retaining means necessary. Fig. '7 also illustrates how the gear 300 of the pattern wheel may mesh with projections 3lc on the needles, if desired.

It will be apparent that the needles or other knitting elements, though unitary, need not be integral. In Fig. 9 there is illustrated a needle comprising an upper independent portion 39 having a bent end 40 fitting within a slot 4| in a lower portion 42. Except for this feature the body of the needle is the same as that shown in Fig. 1 and is operated in the same way. In order to exemplify a beard needle, however, the needle is shown with a beard 43 rather than with a latch. In Fig. l0 there is shown a needle similar to that shown in Fig. 7, except thatits lower por tion 43 is removably connected with its upper portion 44 by means of a bend 45 on the latter and a slot 46 in the former, and except that the portions 44-45 are continued downwardly to form a spring 41 which serves the same purpose as the spring 38 of Fig. 7.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing .from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

' 1. A knitting machine comprising a needle bed, a series of slots arranged along said bed, a unitary element swingably mounted in each slot and having a knitting element portion and a portion formed with a plurality of cam-engaging'surfaces, actuator mechanism, said actuator mecha-. nism and said bed being mounted for relative movement, cam means forming a part of said actuator mechanism and adapted to selectively engage said cam-engaging surfaces and to selectively act on the various unitary elements in accordance with the setting thereof to cause them to be in various ones of a multiplicity. of positions longitudinally of said slots, and a rotatable ele- I a series of slots arranged along said bed, a unitary element swingably mounted in each slot and hav-. ing a knitting element portion, actuator mechanism, said actuator mechanism and said bed being mounted for relative movement, means forming a part of said actuator mechanism and adapted selectively to act on thevarious unitary elements in accordance with the setting thereof to cause them to be in various ones of a multiplicity of positions longitudinally ofsaid slots, outwardly acting means to position said elements in outward position in said slots, and a rotatable element forming part of said actuator mechanism and arranged to receive about its periphery a given number of actuator members at evenly-spaced positions and a plurality of actuator members protruding in one manner disposed at certain of said positions'and a plurality of actuator members protruding in another manner disposed at other of said positions, no actuator members being provided at still other of said positions, the positioning of said rotatable elements and said actuator members being such that the actuator members protruding in different manners will press the unitary elements inwardly to different extents so that a selective setting of said unitary elements in a. multiplicity of different lateral positions upon their axes of swinging movement will be effected.

3. A knitting machine comprising a bed, a series of unitary knitting members arranged along said bed, actuator mechanism, said actuator mechanism and said bed being mounted for relative movement, said knitting members being mounted for longitudinal sliding movement and which of said lateral positions they are in, means selectively to set said knitting member portions in variousones of said lateral positions for selective action by said cam means, and frictional means acting to maintain said knitting members in certain of said lateral positions but not to resist movement. of the knitting members when in at least one of said lateral positions. 7

4. A knitting machine comprising a bed, a series of slots in said bed, unitary knitting members mounted for sliding movement in said slots, actuator mechanism, said actuator mechanism and said bed being mounted for relative movement, said knitting members having portions movable between a multiplicity of lateral positions in said slots, and cam means forming a part of said actuator mechanism and adapted to selectively impart sliding movement to said knitting members in accordance with which of said lateral positions they are in, said slots being narrowed in a lateral portion thereof to maintain said portionsinone of said lateral positions when moved thereto but not to resist movement of the knitting element in any normal position.

5. A knitting machine comprising a bed, a series of unitary knitting members arranged along said bed, actuator mechanism, said actuator mechanism and said bed being mounted for relative movement, said knitting members being mounted for longitudinal sliding movement and for movement of portions thereof between a multiplicity of lateral positions, cam means forming a part of said actuator mechanism and adapted to selectively impart longitudinal movement' to said knitting members in accordance with which of said lateral positions they are in, means selectively to set said knitting member positions in various ones of said lateral positions for selective action by said cam means, and frictional means comprising laterally extending leaf springs acting to maintain said knitting members in certain of said lateral positions but not to resist movement of the knitting members when in at least one of said lateral positions.

6. A knitting machine comprising a series of slots, knitting members in said slots and capable of movement between a plurality of positions lateral of said slots, and means to frictionally maintain a knitting member in at least one of said positions when moved thereto for action thereon by a selecting member but not to resist movement of the knitting member under other of the conditions occurring during the operation.

7. A knitting machine comprising a series of slots, knitting members in said slots and capable of movement between a plurality of positions lateral of said slots, and means comprising a narrowslot portion twmaintain a knitting member in at least one of said positions when moved thereto for action thereon by a selecting member but not to resist movement of the. knitting member under ,other of the conditions occurring during the operation.

8. A knitting machine comprising a/series of slots, knitting members in said slots and capable of movement between a plurality of positions lateral of said slots, and resilient frictional means to maintain a knitting member in at least one of said positions when moved thereto for action thereon by a selecting member but not to resist movement of the needle under other of the conditionsoccurring during the operation.

9. A knitting machine comprising a bed, a series of unitary knitting members arranged along said bed, actuator mechanism, said actuator mechanism and said bed being mounted for relative movement, said knitting members being mounted for longitudinal sliding movement and for movement of a portion thereof between a multiplicity of lateral positions, cam means forming a part of said actuator mechanism and adapted to selectively impart longitudinal movement to said knitting members in accordance with which of said lateral positions they are'in, re-

silient means for normally maintaining said portion in oneof said lateral positions, and means to selectively move said portions to various other of said lateral positions, said members being adapted to be engaged by said cam means when in certain of said other of said lateral positions.

10. A knitting machine comprising a needle bed, a series of slots arranged along said bed, unitary elements swingably mounted in said slots and having knitting element portions, actuator mechanism, said actuator mechanism and said bed being mounted for relative movement, means forming a part of said-actuator mechanism and adapted selectively to act on the various unitary elements in accordance with the setting thereof to cause them to be in various ones of a multiplicity of positions longitudinally of said slots, and a rotatable element also forming a part of said actuator mechanism and providing on its periphery a series of configurations of a multiplicity of types for effectuating a selective setting of said unitary elements in a multiplicity of different lateral positions upon their axes of swinging movement, said selectively acting means having a single cam surface and each of said unitary elements being formed to provide longitudinally spaced cam-engaging surfaces, each adapted when' said element is in a particular one of said lateral positions to be intercepted by said single cam surface for causing the unitary elements to be in said various ones of said multiplicity of longitudinal positions after the operation of said single cam surface, the axis of swinging movement being beyond said cam-engaging surfaces in the direction of movement-of the elements by said cam surface.

11. A knitting machine comprising a series of slots, knitting members in said slots and capable of movement between a plurality of positions lateral of saidslots, and means to frictionally resist movement of a knitting member when moved to at least one of said lateral positions for action thereon by a selecting member but not to resist movement of the knitting member when in at least one of said lateral positions.

VINCENT LOMBARDI. 

